What Is the Duodenum?
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The duodenum is the part of the small intestine immediately following the stomach. In humans, the hollow tube measures between 25 and 38 centimeters. It connects the stomach to the jejunum. The duodenum receives partially digested food called chyme from the stomach, and passes it over to the small intestines for further digestion and absorption.
The duodenum provides the site where bile gets into the digestive system from the gall bladder. The C-shaped organ is divided into 4 parts: superior, descending, horizontal, and ascending. Each of these parts is unique. The first segment is located inside the peritoneum, while the other segments are located behind it.
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1. Structure of the Duodenum
The first segment, known as the superior part, comes from the stomach. It is located above the rest of the segments at the level of the first lumbar vertebrae.
The first section of the superior segment is the duodenal bulb, which is slightly dilated, mobile, and connected to the liver. The first part of the superior segment is connected to the second one at the superior duodenal flexure corner.
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